भेदभाव (bhedbhaav)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'discrimination' or 'differential treatment' -- the social/moral sense you'll meet constantly in discussions of caste, gender, and equality.
Sense 1 : discrimination, bias, unequal treatment
noun, masculine Functions as the object of करना (karnaa) in the very common compound भेदभाव करना (bhedbhaav karnaa, 'to discriminate'), and takes के साथ (ke saath) or से (se) to mark who is being discriminated against.
Synonyms: भेद (bhed, narrower: difference/distinction), पक्षपात (pakshpaat, favoritism/bias), भेदभाव करना (bhedbhaav karnaa, the verb-phrase form used in sentences)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This word shows up constantly in Indian public discourse -- news anchors, school lessons on the Constitution, and family conversations about caste (jaati) or gender (ling) all lean on भेदभाव (bhedbhaav). It is built from भेद (bhed, 'difference') plus भाव (bhaav, 'feeling/attitude'), so literally it is 'an attitude of difference' -- a nice window into how Hindi builds abstract social nouns from simpler roots.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often say भेदभाव (bhedbhaav) alone as if it were a verb -- it is a noun, so you need भेदभाव करना (bhedbhaav karnaa) to actually express the act of discriminating. 2) The person discriminated against is marked with के साथ (ke saath) or से (se), not को (ko): लड़कियों के साथ भेदभाव (ladkiyon ke saath bhedbhaav, 'discrimination against girls'), not लड़कियों को भेदभाव.
Sample Sentences:
हमारे संविधान में जाति के आधार पर भेदभाव करना अपराध है। In our constitution, discriminating on the basis of caste is a crime.
(hamaare sanvidhaan men jaati ke aadhaar par bhedbhaav karnaa apraadh hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
स्कूल में उसके साथ हमेशा भेदभाव होता था। In school, he was always discriminated against.
(skool men uske saath hameshaa bhedbhaav hotaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
कंपनी पर महिलाओं के साथ भेदभाव करने का आरोप लगाया गया है। The company has been accused of discriminating against women.
(kampnii par mahilaaon ke saath bhedbhaav karne kaa aarop lagaayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
कृपया धर्म के नाम पर भेदभाव मत करो। Please don't discriminate in the name of religion.
(kripyaa dharm ke naam par bhedbhaav mat karo।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
अगर समाज में भेदभाव न होता, तो ज़िंदगी कितनी आसान होती। If there were no discrimination in society, how easy life would be.
(agar samaaj men bhedbhaav n hotaa, to zindgii kitnii aasaan hotii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
सरकार चाहती है कि हर नागरिक के साथ बिना किसी भेदभाव के व्यवहार किया जाए। The government wants every citizen to be treated without any discrimination.
(sarkaar chaahtii hai ki har naagrik ke saath binaa kisii bhedbhaav ke vyavahaar kiyaa jaae।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
यार, दफ़्तर में तनख्वाह देते वक़्त भी भेदभाव हो जाता है, यकीन नहीं होता। Dude, even when giving salaries at the office there's discrimination -- I can't believe it.
(yaar, daftar men tanakhvaah dete vaqt bhii bhedbhaav ho jaataa hai, yakiin nahiin hotaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगले साल तक इस विभाग में भेदभाव पूरी तरह खत्म हो जाएगा, ऐसा वादा किया गया है। By next year, discrimination in this department will be completely eliminated, or so has been promised.
(agle saal tak is vibhaag men bhedbhaav poorii tarah khatm ho jaaegaa, aisaa vaadaa kiyaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
मानव अधिकारों की लड़ाई असल में हर तरह के भेदभाव के खिलाफ़ लड़ाई है। The struggle for human rights is, in essence, a struggle against every kind of discrimination.
(maanav adhikaaron kii ladaaii asal men har tarah ke bhedbhaav ke khilaaf ladaaii hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बचपन से ही मुझे रंग के आधार पर भेदभाव झेलना पड़ा है। Since childhood, I've had to endure discrimination based on color.
(bachpan se hii mujhe rang ke aadhaar par bhedbhaav jhelnaa padaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश किसी दिन इस दुनिया से भेदभाव मिट जाए। I wish that someday discrimination would vanish from this world.
(kaash kisii din is duniyaa se bhedbhaav mit jaae।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): भेदभाव (bhedbhaav)
(sg.m.oblique): भेदभाव (bhedbhaav)
(pl.m.direct): भेदभाव (bhedbhaav)
(pl.m.oblique): भेदभावों (bhedbhaavon)